Arrangement for holding accessory parts to a patient support surface

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a system for supporting accessories on a patent resting surface of an operation or examination table ( 10 ) comprising an accessory adapter ( 24 ) that can be slipped on the profile of the patient resting surface ( 14 ). Support elements ( 32 ) for accessories are fastened to said accessory adapter. The adapter ( 14 ) comprises two claws ( 26 ) adapted to encompass the longitudinal edges of the patient resting surface. Said claws are interlinked via a bracket ( 28 ) that extends across a width of the patient resting surface.

Applicants hereby claim foreign priority benefits under 35 U.S.C. § 119of PCT Patent Application No. PCT/EP01/13283 filed Nov. 16, 2001 andGerman Patent Application No. 200 19 728.2 filed Nov. 21, 2000, thedisclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The invention concerns an arrangement for holding accessory parts to apatient support surface of an operating table or examination table.

2. Background Information

Customary operating tables have slide rails along the longitudinal edgesof the involved operating table surface or patient support surface, ontowhich slide rails different accessory parts can be mounted with the helpof clamping dogs. Such accessory parts are, for example, supports forarm rests, anesthetic bows for the holding of anesthetic equipment, bodystraps, and so forth.

Special medical examinations and surgical procedures require the use ofX-ray devices and therefore make necessary patient support surfaceswhich have artifact-free transmissibility. Metal slide rails of theaforementioned type accordingly disturb the transmissibility of thesupport surfaces. For these reasons support surfaces have been developedwhich consist entirely of X-ray transmitting material, for example,carbon fiber reinforced plastic. But with this the problem exists inthat the accessory parts can no longer be fastened in the usual way tothe patient support surface itself; and for example are held on theirown stands. This once again hinders access to the patient supportsurface.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention has as its object the provision of an arrangement of thepreviously mentioned kind for the holding of accessory parts which makespossible the mounting of accessory parts also to patient supportsurfaces which are made of X-ray transmitting material.

This object is solved in accordance with the invention by an accessoryadapter mountable onto the profile of the patient support surface andonto which adapter holding elements for accessory parts are fastened.

The solution according to the invention has the feature that theaccessory adapter can be shifted along the patient support surface or ifneed be entirely removed from it, in order to not interfere with thetransmission of X-rays through the patient support surface. On the otherhand, the accessory parts can still be directly mounted onto the patientsupport surface so that they assure free access to the patient supportsurface.

In a preferred embodiment the adapter has two jaws which receive thelongitudinal edges of the patient support surface, which jaws areconnected with one another by a bow extending across the width of thepatient support surface. This bow can be made of one piece with thejaws, and as to its shape can be suited to the profile of the patientsupport surface so that it requires little space. The accessory adapterfurther, entirely or at least in the region of the bow, can be made ofan X-ray transmitting material, such as for example carbon fiberreinforced plastic, so that it need not be removed or shifted for allX-ray examinations.

Preferably, fastening means are provided on the accessory adapter to fixit in a desired position relative to the patient support surface and toprevent an inadvertent shifting of the accessory relative to thepatient. Advantageously the fastening means are arranged on at least oneof the jaws where they can be easily operated. To be able to fix theaccessory adapter to the patient support surface at a desired location,the fastening means advantageously include a clamping mechanism receivedin a jaw opening which makes possible a force-wise fixing of theaccessory adapter. The clamping mechanism in a preferred embodiment ofthe invention has a clamping rail designed to lie against one edge stripof the patient support surface, which clamping rail is movably supportedin the jaw opening and by a tightening element is pressable against theedge strip of the patient support surface. The clamping rail forms aclamping element of relatively large surface area by means of which thespecific pressure pressing on the surface of the patient support surfaceby the clamping mechanism is lowered, and thereby damage to the patientsupport surface by the clamping mechanism is inhibited.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe following description which in connection with the accompanyingdrawings explain the invention by way of an exemplary embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 a schematic perspective illustration of an operating table with apatient support surface onto which an accessory adapter according to theinvention has been mounted,

FIG. 2 a perspective plan view of an accessory adapter by itself,

FIG. 3 a longitudinal section taken through the accessory adapter alongthe line III—III of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 a cross-section through one jaw of the accessory adapter takenalong the line IV—IV of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows an operating table or examination table, indicatedgenerally at 10, with a table column 12 and a patient support surface,indicated generally at 14, which is slidably supported for movement inthe direction of the double arrow A of FIG. 1, that is in itslongitudinal direction, in a guide housing 16 arranged on the head ofthe table column 12. The patient support surface includes a table plate18, on which a cushion 20 is arranged. The table plate 18 is made up ofX-ray transmitting material, for example carbon fiber reinforcedplastic, and has a trapezoidal profile which diminishes downwardly, andthe trapezoid surface of which that forms the upper side of the tableplate 18 is lengthened outwardly by edge strips 22 forming the edges ofthe table plate 18. Onto the profile of the table plate 18 is mounted anaccessory adapter, indicated generally at 24, which will now beexplained in more detail in connection with FIGS. 2 to 4.

The accessory adapter 24 is comprised of two jaws 26 connected with oneanother by a bow 28, with the jaws 26 and the bow 28 being made as onepiece. Each of the claws 26 has a claw opening 30 which upon themounting of the accessory adapter onto the table plate 18 receives arespective one of the edge strips 22. The shape of the bow 28 is suitedto the trapezoidal profile of the table plate 18 so that the bow runsclose to the underside of the table plate 18, when the accessory adapter24 is pushed or mounted onto the table plate 18, as shown in FIG. 1. Aslide rail 32 is fastened with the help of bolts 34 to the outer side ofeach jaw 26. The slide rails 32 are made of metal and have the sameshape as the customary slide rails on operating table plates so that thecustomary accessory parts with the customary clamping mechanisms can beput onto the slide rails 32.

The fixing of the accessory adapter 24 in a desired position to thetable plate 18 is accomplished with the help of clamping devicesarranged in the jaws 26. Each clamping device includes a clamp rail 36which extends in the associated jaw opening 30 parallel to the sliderail 32 and is designed to lie against the underside of one edge strip22 of the table plate 18. The clamp rails 36 each have two downwardlydirected protrusions 38 with bores 40 into each of which a bolt 42 canbe screwed which in turn is receivable in a recess 44 in the accessoryadapter 24. Each recess 44 perpendicular to the clamping surface 46 ofthe clamp rail 36 is larger than the diameter of the bolt 42 so that theclamp rail 36 can move perpendicularly to its clamping surface 46. Bymeans of an eccentric clamping screw or toggle screw 48 threaded intothe material of the associated jaw 26 the clamp rail 36 can be lifted,that is its clamping surface 46 can be tightened against the undersideof the associated edge strip 22 of the table plate 18 or can be lowered.Accordingly, the accessory adapter 24 can be fixed to the table plate 18or again loosened. As will be understood the axis of the clamping orthumb screw 48 can be inclined at an angle of about 45° with respect tothe plane of the middle portion of the bow so that the clamping screw 48can be operated comfortably and without hindrance by the slide rail 32.

If the patient support surface 14 is pushed in the guide housing 16 toX-ray certain parts of the patient, the accessory adapter 24 can eitherbe entirely removed from the patient support surface 14 or else can bepushed to the guide housing 16 where it does not interfere with theX-ray examination. It will be understood that in the case of anoperating table according to FIG. 1, for example, two such accessoryadapters can be provided with, for example, each being located on arespective one of the sides of the guide housing 16.

In FIG. 4 one sees that the clamp rails 36 extend outwardly from bothsides beyond the jaws 26 of the accessory adapter 28. These protrudingsections of the clamp rails 36 can be used as switching strips whichupon the accessory adapter 24 coming close to the guide housing 16operate a non-illustrated limit switch to turn off the drive for themovement of the support surface 14, to thereby avoid a possiblecollision between the guide housing and the accessory adapter 24.

It will be understood that in the case of the accessory adapteraccording to the invention, moments exerted about the longitudinal axisof the slide rails produced by heavy accessory parts are taken up on theopposite sides of the adapter because of the bridge-shaped connection ofthe two jaws of the accessory adapter. Thereby the local loading of thesupport surface profile is distributed over large surface areas and isreduced. The shape-wise connection of the accessory adapter with thesupport surface inhibits an unintended loosening of the accessory sothat injury to the patient by a falling accessory can be avoided.

1. An arrangement for holding accessory parts to a patient support of anoperating table or examination table the patient support having apatient support surface and a lower surface opposite the patient supportsurface, the arrangement comprising: an accessory adapter mountable ontoa profile of the patient support to which accessory adapter are fastenedholding elements for accessory parts, characterized in that the adapterhas two jaws designed to receive the longitudinal edges of the patientsupport and to support the weight of the accessory adapter, which jawsare connected with one another by a bow extending across the width ofthe patient support below the lower surface, and in that the accessoryadapter at least in the area of the bow is made of an X-ray transmittingmaterial.
 2. An arrangement according to claim 1, further characterizedin that the bow has a shape suiting the profile of the lower surface ofthe patient support.
 3. An arrangement according to claim 1, furthercharacterized in that the bow is made of one piece with the jaws.
 4. Anarrangement according to claim 1, further characterized in that theX-ray transmitting material is carbon fiber reinforced plastic.
 5. Anarrangement according to claim 1, further characterized in that theholding elements are formed as slide rails of metal which are fastenedto outer sides of the jaws.
 6. An arrangement according to claim 1,further characterized in that fastening means are provided on theaccessory adapter for fixing it to the patient support.
 7. Anarrangement according to claim 6, further characterized in that thefastening means are arranged on at least one of the jaws.
 8. Anarrangement according to claim 7, further characterized in that thefastening means include a clamping mechanism received in a jaw opening.9. An arrangement according to claim 8, further characterized in thatthe clamping mechanism includes a clamp rail designed to lie against oneedge of the patient support, which clamp rail is movably supported inthe jaw opening and is pressable against the edge by a tighteningelement.
 10. An arrangement according to claim 1, further characterizedin that a switch operating element is provided on the accessory adapterfor actuating a limit switch arranged on the patient support forswitching a support drive.
 11. An arrangement for holding accessoryparts to a table having a patient support, the arrangement having anaccessory adapter mountable onto a profile of the patient support, towhich accessory adapter are fastened holding elements for accessoryparts, characterized in that the adapter has two jaws designed toreceive the longitudinal edges of the patient support, which jaws areconnected with one another by a bow extending across the width of thepatient support, and in that the accessory adapter at least in the areaof the bow is made of an X-ray transmitting material, and furthercharacterized in that the holding elements are formed as slide rails ofmetal which are fastened to outer sides of the jaws.
 12. An arrangementfor holding accessory parts to a table having a patient support, thepatient support having a patient support surface, the arrangement havingan accessory adapter mountable onto a profile of the patient support, towhich accessory adapter are fastened holding elements for accessoryparts, characterized in that the adapter has two jaws designed toreceive the longitudinal edges of the patient support, which jaws areconnected with one another by a bow extending across the width of thepatient support, and in that the accessory adapter at least in the areaof the bow is made of an X-ray transmitting material, and furthercharacterized in that no part of the arrangement extends across thewidth of the patient support above the patient support surface.